Face shield



March 22, 1966 R. L. c. PHILLIPS FACE SHIELD Filed June 22, 1964 INVENTOR. Bic/25rd Z. 6. PfiZZZus WW WWW United States Patent 3,241,155 FACE SHIELD Richard L. C. Phillips, 708 N. Central Ave., Stockton, Calif. Filed June 22, 1964, Ser. No. 376,845 2 Claims. (Cl. 2--9) This invention relates in general to an article especially adapted, but not limited, for use in a beauty salon and in association with a hood type, electric hair dryer.

In particular the invention is directed to, and it is a major object to provide, an improved face shield to be worn by a woman whose hair is being subjected to the drying action of the forceful flow of heated air in the hood of an electric hair dryer; the shield effectively and desirably protecting the womans face from such air flow.

Another important object of theinvention is to provide a face shield of the above type adapted to engage along a continuous edge with the forehead and cheeks of the wearer; the shield being provided along said edge with a cushion pad which has a substantially airtight fit against the face, and because of its yielding nature such pad conforms to any small irregularities in the contour of the face. The shield is thus made comfortable to wear while at the same time hot air from the hair dryer is prevented from undesirably passing under the padded edge of the shield.

The shield is adapted to be worn by a number of different persons, and a further object of the invention is to provide a channel shaped cover-for the face engaging edge of the shield-made of soft disposable material; the shield being provided with means for releasable engagement with said cover and so that it may be readily replaced. This, therefore, provides a sanitary feature for the protection of the different wearers.

The shield is used in connection with a hair net, and another object of this invention is to provide cooperating means between the net and shield whichwhile not a permanent connection therebetweenwill prevent the shield from slipping down on the face of the wearer, and will also insure a snug engagement of the padded edge of the shield with the face.

A further object of the invention is to provide a face shield which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture, and convenience of use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable face shield and one which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully ap pear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the improved face shield shown as in use.

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan, on a reduced scale, of the face shield and hair net as connected but before use; the view being taken generally on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the face shield, detached.

FIG. 4 is a transverse section of the face shield; the view being taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional plan of the face shield; the view being taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the face shield, indicated generally at 1, is a member made of a suitable grade of flexible transparent plastic, of generally C-shaped form in plan, and otherwise of a configuration to generally conform to or fit the facial outline of the wearer.

Specifically, the central portion 2 of the top edge of the shield is generally straight in a horizontal plane so as to engage the forehead 3 of the wearer below the hair line but a certain distance above the eyes 4. At the ends of the central portion 2, said top edge curves downwardly as at 5, and merges into straight depending side edge portions 6 which extend to the bottom edge of the shield. The curved portions 5 and the side edge portions 6 are disposed so as to be just in front of the ears 7 of the wearer; said side edge portions 6 engaging the cheeks of the wearer and extending well below the ears.

The lower edge 8 of the shield is generally straight from side to side relative to a horizontal plane but is disposed at an upward slope as shown in FIG. 1. However, said lower edge 8centrally of its endsis formed with an upwardly extending curved recess 9 disposed substantially in the plane of the nose 10 of the wearer as also shown in FIG. 1.

The front face 11 of the shield is in the main disposed with an upward and inward slope to the upper edge thereof and so as to avoid contact with the wearer's face and in such spaced relation thereto that eyeglasses 12 may be worn Without discomfort when the shield is in place.

A continuous, strip-like pad 13 of cushion rubber or the like is secured against the inner or back surface of the shield and extends along the top and side edges thereof; the pad 13 thus projecting rearwardly from said edges.

The shield is adapted to be worn by different customers and to insure sanitary conditions for all. I provide a disposable, channel shaped cover 14 of thin tissue paper or the like. Such cover 14 is of a length and shape to fit unbrokenly over the face engaging edges of the shield including the pad 13--for the full length thereof.

The cover 14 is detachably held on the shield by means of short prongs 15 formed at spaced points and projecting forwardly from the outer face of the shield directly opposite and following the contour of the pad 13; such prongs piercing the adjacent side of the cover 14.

The sanitary cover 14 alone contacts the: face of the wearer when the shield is in use, and thereafter said cover is torn away from the spikes 15 and a new cover applied to the shield for the next use thereof.

The shield is held in place against the face of the wearer by means of cooperating elements on the shield and a hair net 16 as follows:

Such hair net is provided all about its lower edge with a permanent tie string 17 which, at the back of the net, is formed with relatively long, initially free extensions 18 (see FIG. 2). These extensions of the tie string are adapted-after the net is applied about the head-to be crossed and to thence extend forwardly about the net and head of the wearer, and then pulled taut and knotted together at the front as indicated at 19. This is done in association with the in-place shield in the manner subsequently described.

The tie string 17 and the adjacent lower portion of the net 16 are held in overlapping relation to the upper portion of the shield 1 by means of small headed nubs 20 projecting outwardly from the shield at predetermined points; one such nub being on the top edge portion 2 centrally thereof, while another such nub is substantially halfway up each side edge portion 6 of the shield.

With the above nub arrangement and with the shield initially held by hand in place against the face of the wearer, the hair net 16 is pulled down at the sides and the adjacent portion of string 17 is engaged under the side nubs 20, and also pulled down at the front and the ad jacent portion of said string engaged under the top or central nub 20. The string extensions 18 are then crossed at the back and brought forwardly to be tied together by the knot 19 as previously described; said string extensionsbefore being tied-being passed intermediate their ends and on each side under a nub 21 mounted on the shield adjacent the top edge thereof and intermediate the nubs 20. These nubs 21 enable the string extensions to be pulled taut without riding up and becoming uncomfortable. More important, however, is the fact that the tie string and locating or restraining nub arrangement causes pressure to be exerted against the flexible shield ll, particularly at the sides thereof, which holds the side edges of the strip-like cushion pad 13, and the strip as a whole, firmly against the face of the wearer. This prevents the fiow of heated airwhich is being applied to the hair from the hair dryerfrom passing between the shield and face to the discomfort of the wearer.

It will be noted that after the tie string is nub engaged and tied in a taut condition, any slack in the net 16 above the tie string may be taken up by a conventional type of clip 22 applied to the rear end of the net as shown in FIG. 1. This clip, and the net movement controlled thereby, also serves as a means to adjust the shield 1 up or down on the forehead of the wearer. It has been found that the wearer of the net and shield combination, when said combination is properly adjusted, is able to read, smoke, or take a drink without disturbing the shield.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there has been produced such an article as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the article, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. In combination, a face shield comprising a transparent member of relatively stiff but flexible material having a continuous edge portion patterned to extend in substantial engagement with the forehead and cheeks of the face of a wearer, a cushion pad secured on the inner surface of the shield adjacent and following the contour of said edge, a hair net, the forward bottom portion of the hair net overlying the adjacent portion of the shield, a tie string secured on and extending along the lower edge of the hair net for taut engagement about the head of the wearer, and headed nubs projecting outwardly from the shield adjacent the periphery thereof and in spaced relation along the same in position for engagement thereunder by the taut tie string whereby to hold the shield in position on the wearers face and to maintain such pad in close contact with the face.

2. In combination, a face shield comprising a transparent member of relatively stiff but flexible material having a continuous edge portion patterned to extend in substantial engagement with the forehead and cheeks of the face of a wearer, a cushion pad secured on the inner surface of the shield adjacent and following the contour of said edge, headed nubs projecting outwardly from the shield adjacent its periphery on opposite sides thereof and a similar nub at the top, and a tie string separate from the shield adapted to be disposed taut about the head of the wearer and engaged with the nubs from below the same and under the heads thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,296,366 3/1919 Clark 2-10 1,750,937 3/1930 Morgan 2--174X 2,162,608 6/1939 Davis 2 174 2,226,956 12/1940 Womack 2-174 2,355,283 8/1944 Diss 2-173X 2,424,352 7/1947 Conjurske 2-174 2,799,862 7/1957 Rowe 2-9 2,928,097 3/1960 Neufeld 2 14.1

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. J. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner, 

1. IN COMBINATION, A FACE SHIELD COMPRISING A TRANSPARENT MEMBER OF A RELATIVELY STIFF BUT FLEXIBLE MATERIAL HAVING A CONTINUOUS EDGE PORTION PATTERNED TO EXTEND IN SUBSTANTIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FOREHEAD AND CHEEKS OF THE FACE OF A WEARER, A CUSHION PAD SECURED ON THE INNER SURFACE OF THE SHIELD ADJACENT AND FOLLOWING THE CONTOUR OF SAID EDGE, A HAIR NET, THE FORWARD BOTTOM PORTION OF THE HAIR NET OVERLYING THE ADJACENT PORTION OF THE SHIELD, A TIE STRING SECURED ON AND EXTENDING ALONG THE LOWER EDGE OF THE HAIR NET FOR TAUT ENGAGEMENT ABOUT THE HEAD OF THE WEARER, AND HEADED NUBS PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM THE SHIELD ADJACENT THE PERIPHERY THEREOF AND IN SPACED RELATION ALONG THE SAME IN POSITION FOR ENGAGEMENT THEWREUNDER BY THE TAUT TIE STRING WHEREBY TO HOLD THE SHIELD IN POSITION ON THE WEARER''S FACE AND TO MAINTAIN SUCH PAD IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE FACE. 